Dreamscape
by MysticKizzy
Summary: Read and Review Please!  This is a story that was inspired by The Wizard of Oz.  No actual characters from the movie are in the story but runs along the same premise set in modern times.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The wind whipped through his hair freeing him from the brutal heat of the 100 degree plus summer weather. Geo knew his parents will be mad at him later but when his buddy called to say his older brother was willing to drive them down to the beach he had to go. Now, sitting in a brand new Mustang along with six other teens speeding down highway 8 to the beaches, Geo felt like he was on an adventure. When word got out that they were heading to the beach others wanted to go and now they were racing against a SUV full of teens. The traffic thickened, as they got closer to the beaches as if everyone in San Diego that wasn't working had the same idea that they did. Soon, the drivers of the teen-mobiles were diving in and out of traffic taking deadly risks trying to beat the other to their destination. The last car that got to the beach had to buy the beer (even though it was illegal on the beaches) so the stakes were high. Angry drivers blared their horns at the reckless teens and soon, Geo wasn't laughing and was wishing he were back at home heat wave and all. The competing SUV had pulled ahead and soon cut off a semi as it was trying to enter the freeway. The driver of the semi leaned on his horn and swerved to miss the SUV. Screaming filled Geo's ears. Their driver was too busy texting on his phone to notice he was racing right into the semi until it was too late. The sound of screaming teens and screaming metal was the last thing Geo heard.

The irony of Julie's frantic drive to the hospital did not escape her as she rushed to meet her sister after hearing about Geo's accident. That damn kid! How could he be so stupid? Brushing the tears away from her eyes Julie immediately felt guilty for her thoughts. He's just a kid, after all. Yes, he should know better…but he was still just a kid. God she hoped he would be all right. Julie was so worried she didn't really pay attention to the fact that she was already in the parking garage and rushing to the Emergency Room. Her body was on automatic as her mind tried to grasp the horror of what had happened. The entry doors opened before her as if she had willed them blasting her with air to keep bugs out of the room. It didn't take long for her to find her sister, Dorothy, perched in the chairs closest to the interior hospital doors. Her eyes were fixed on those doors as if she could will a doctor or nurse to come to her with news of her son.

"Dorothy, have you heard anything, yet?" Julie asked as she rushed to her sister's side and enfolded her in her arms.

The distraught mother shook her head and swallowed back a sob. "Nothing, new. He's still not awake, broken bones …" a sob stopped her from continuing. When she regained her voice she went on. "He has broken ribs, collar-bone, and a broken arm. They are concerned about internal bleeding."

"Is George on his way?" Dorothy's husband, George Westwind, was away in L.A. for a conference.

"The first flight back isn't for hours so his co-worker is driving him back. Hopefully traffic won't be too bad."

"Good thing he's being driven. He will be too stressed out to be safe on the road."

Dorothy nodded in agreement. "That is what I said to him. When he told me that Robert offered I told him to take it. I can't do this alone and I don't want to be worrying about both of my boys."

Julie squeezed her sister's hands. "You'll don't have to go through this alone. I'm right here."

Smiling through her tears Dorothy squeezed back. "I know. I may not say it often enough but I'm grateful that I can always count on you."

From there the conversation turned to non-essentials and just staring at their surroundings while they waited. The waiting room for the emergency room was a clone of so many others across the country. The floor consisted of neutral, colorless tile and the plain walls echoing the theme. A few generic landscape paintings in plain wooden frames made futile attempts to add color to the room. The only point of interest was the saltwater fish tank on one side of the room containing Technicolor tropical fish. All the children in the room were attracted to the fish tank like moths to a flame. They formed a semi-circle on the ground cross-legged staring at the tank as if it was a big screen TV. Everyone else was either waiting in an odd wheelchair or in stiff chairs of minimal pastel padding that creaked with every weight shift.

Whenever a nurse emerged from the double doors all eyes were drawn to him or her. As the patient's name was called everyone else went back to their business in resignation hoping that their wait would be over soon.

Those who were only in the checking in stage were waiting in a line in front of a set of windows. Behind the glass sat hospital staff as if they were bankers behind bulletproof glass or ticket sellers for a movie that will never start.

The anxiety in the room was almost tangible, rising as more people came in and ebbing as others were released. Julie didn't know if the stress was making her ill or if it was motion sickness from the waves of emotion in the room.

As they waited for some news Julie stared out the window. The carefree attitude of the gently swaying palm trees seemed to be mocking her. It didn't seem right that the world didn't reflect her worry and anguish. The well-maintained garden of the courtyard proudly displayed their vibrant colors as if they were jewels.

She should get Geo some flowers. Do boys like flowers? Maybe some balloons, too, just in case.

Hours later they had good news. No internal bleeding, just broken bones, bruises, and strains. Nothing that couldn't be healed with some time. However, Geo still showed no signs of waking up and had slipped into a coma. The doctor was stumped. There was no reason for the coma and had no answers about it for the family.

Weeks later Dorothy asked Julie to meet her at a popular sandwich shop near the hospital for lunch. They were meeting near the hospital because Geo was still in a coma and Dorothy practically lived there now. Thankfully the hospital staff was understanding of her situation and let her be close to her son.

After the two ordered their food and were sitting in a booth with their sandwiches, Dorothy got to the point of why she wanted to meet. She updated Julie on Geo's current condition that hadn't changed much and wanted to know if her sister could be any help.

"Can't you figure out why he won't wake up?" she pleaded. "I thought your science was all about the power of the mind. Don't you have any idea of what's going on?"

Julie sighed and raked a hand through her hair. She had been wondering that herself but had failed to come up with any ideas. Since this is right along with her line of work of Noetic Science it is frustrating that she can't come up with anything to help. Noetics was all about the power of the mind and how it relates to surrounding energies. Her studies have proven that the mind is far more complex than anyone has ever imagined. She had even discussed her nephew's situation with colleagues but so far any idea that she had come up with had already been tried by the doctors or did not apply to his situation.

"I'm sorry, Dotty. I've been trying to come up with some new brilliant idea but can't seem to come up with anything that will actually work."

Tears filled Dorothy's eyes. "It's almost as if he's lost and can't find his way home. My poor little baby is probably lost in Oz."

Because of her name, Dorothy had always been an avid fan of anything Wizard of Oz; from the book, to the movie, and to the new musical Wicked. Julie used to tease Dorothy about it all the time especially when she dressed baby Geo as the Scarecrow for his first Halloween.

An idea hit Julie like a lightning bolt at her sister's comment. "Say that again!"

"What? You think he's lost in Oz? It's a joke! Or are you teasing me again. This isn't the time, Julie!" replied Dorothy testily as she nearly threw her sandwich back into the serving basket.

"No, no, no! The lost part," clarified Julie while ignoring her sister's irritation at her.

"He's lost and can't find his way home?"

"Yes!" Julie's eyes were shining now with her mental breakthrough. "What if that's it? He just needs help finding his way back?"

Dorothy raised an eyebrow at her sister. "I'm really trying to follow you, Jules, but I can't. Spell it out for me."

Julie leaned forward and grabbed her sister's hands.

"The trauma of the accident was probably too much for him to deal with so instead of facing it he got lost in his own mind. Kind of like when we daydream when we are having a bad day. Only for him it's much worse and now he can't find his way back."

"That does make sense. But is there anything we can do to help him?"

Julie grinned triumphantly. "We send him some ruby slippers."

"Let me introduce you to the DreamScape," presented Julie with a flourish.

They had all gathered at Julie's Blossom Valley home. Her place was equipped with her own personal lab. Now, her guest room had been remade into a room for Geo.

"I'll play the role of the skeptic," said George, Geo's father. "Explain all this please."

"Well, the best way to describe it would be to compare it to a virtual reality machine. Through small transmitters taped to Geo's head we can communicate directly into his mind. The way it works, however, is a bit complicated. You see Geo is lost within his own mind so we are going to help him find his way out. We are essentially going to create a world in which he will have to journey. Our hope is that by the end he will be able to use the journey as a way of dealing with the trauma and wake up."

"Your hope? You don't know?"

"Of course I don't know for sure. I only came up with the idea to help Geo. We've tested it but not on a coma patient. And even then the test was far shorter than I would have liked. Most testing takes years that we quite frankly don't have."

"So you want to experiment on my son?" growled George.

"Of course I don't _want_ to experiment on him. But George, it's been almost a year. This will give him a chance. Don't you want your son back?"

"What if we just wait and see if he wakes up on his own? I don't want to risk hurting him more by trying to wake him up quickly if he may still wake up on his own."

Julie shook her head and sighed.

"From the studies that have been done of him he shouldn't be in a coma now. Sure, he could wake up on his own, or he could remain a vegetable for the rest of his life. Is this really the life you want for him?"

"He isn't a vegetable now…just asleep. What if you experiment turns him into a vegetable?"

Now Julie understood George's reluctance. He wasn't just being stubborn, he was protecting his son from a possible threat. She relaxed and forced herself to calm down. A heated argument would only make matters worse. George needed to understand that her project would be safe.

"I can guarantee that we won't harm him. First we will start out simply reading his brain waves. After that we will essentially be telling him a story but directly into his mind. That part of the project is not a new science but something that has been being developed and refined for quite some time now. If at any time he shows any form of distress we will stop." Julie continued to explain to George how the Dreamscape was inspired by the movie the Wizard of Oz. In the movie it appears that during the tornado Dorothy hits her head. When she wakes up she is in Oz and has an amazing adventure. At the end of the movie she wakes up back in the farmhouse surrounded by her family and friends. Julie's theory is that like the movie suggested, Dorothy is dreaming the entire adventure and when she finds a path home in the dream she is able to wake up. By creating an adventure for Geo do go through he can deal with the trauma of his accident and find a way to wake up again. The worst case scenario would be that he still won't wake up.

Eventually George reluctantly agreed. Getting permission to release him from the hospital was not quite as easy. This type of science is still relatively new and controversial to the scientific community. Besides, that, no doctor would be comfortable with his or her patient being experimented on regardless about how "safe" it appears. Lots of detailed releases were signed so that the hospital and doctors were not to be blamed for anything that went wrong while Geo was in Julie's care. Around the clock nurses were hired after passing background checks and signing privacy releases of their own. One doctor even agreed to stay on Geo's case. Dr. Jeanette Jordan would be making regular visits as well as being on call.

George did admit that Geo looked more comfortable in Julie's home. The bed was still a hospital bed but that was where the resemblance to the hospital ended. The rest of the room resembled a typical teenager's room even down to the bedding. Anything medically related had been cleverly hidden in specially designed cabinets. The framed posters by the head of the bed swung away from the wall on hinges and concealed the monitoring equipment.

Julie waited until her sister and brother-in-law had "settled" their son in even though Geo was unaware of his surroundings. Both parents had been insisting on being present when she began the DreamScape but Julie refused. She would need to concentrate wholly on her work and not be distracted by nervous parents. There is one visitor that refused to leave, however. On the bed stretched out alongside him was Geo's dog, Chelsea. The terrier-mix had somehow sensed that Dorothy and George were coming to Geo and insisted on coming along.

The parents tried to lock the dog in the house but she managed to force open a window and tore the screen to get out. Then she chased the car down the street. Eager to see their son both George and Dorothy decided to give in. Apparently she wasn't going to take no for an answer so for her safety and their sanity they would just have to bring her along. Chelsea had once been a stray and only survived because of her intelligence. It had been rather frightening discovering just how smart Chelsea really is. She had been with their family for years now and had protected Geo from harm more than once. Apparently, now she insisted on doing so again.

Geo's parent's finally left after many futile attempts to get Chelsea to go with them and Julie had to say that the dog could stay. She knew the dog well and wasn't worried about her getting in the way. In fact, Chelsea had visited Julie's home whenever Geo did so it really wasn't all that strange to her to have the dog here now.

After making sure Geo and his companion were settled, Julie and her assistant busied themselves by setting up the DreamScape. A complicated computer system was warmed up and activated in the room next to Geo's. Various screens displayed Geo's vitals, brain waves, and other various readings. After making sure everything was running properly, Julie settled herself into a comfortable office chair then put on her headset. The headset was how she planned to communicate with Geo. It was the type that gamers used with a microphone attached only it had additional aspects such as small scanners that read her brainwaves. With a nod to her assistant she clicked on the icon for her program.

"Initiating DreamScape."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Geo groggily blinked his eyes. He felt as if sleep would never let him go. He had been having one of those weird kinds of dreams that let you hear what was going on around you but not react to it. Now he still felt as if sleep would never let him go. As he became more aware of his surroundings, however, he became alert but confused. Where the heck was he? The walls were made of stone and the floor was rough planks of wood. It looked like he was in a set from a medieval movie or television show. The last thing he remembered was heading to the beach with his friends. How did he end up here? Was this some kind of practical joke? He sat up and realized he had been lying on a mattress filled with straw. Or, at least, that is what it looked like from the bits poking out of the uneven seam.

"Ah, good, you're awake."

Geo startled at the voice that turned out to belong to a tall man standing in the doorway. As he tried to sit up a familiar cold nose began inspecting his smell. Chelsea was doing his smell-check to make sure he was okay. Gently, Geo pushed the dog's nose away so he could see the man who spoke. His initial fear of who the stranger was, however, was calmed since Chelsea obviously wasn't worried.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"My name is Everett. I found you passed out in the street. Now, if I may ask, what is your name, young one?" The man smiled warmly at Geo to put him at ease.

"I'm Geo. You found me in the street?" The man obviously wasn't a paramedic; he was dressed kind of like a monk. "Did I crash in front of a church or something?"

The man nodded his shaggy head. "I don't know what happened to you but, yes, you were found in front of a church. I am a priest here. You furry friend here came and led me to you. How are you feeling?" To his credit the priests blue eyes were full of concern.

"Confused, groggy…" Geo attentively stood up to check himself for injuries. "I don't think I'm all that hurt…but my mind feels like it's in a fog."

"Here, try some soup. You have been asleep for quite some time. Perhaps you just need to nourish your body." The priest went to an old fashioned pot hanging in the fireplace and ladled out some of its contents into a wooden bowl. Even the spoon was carved from wood. This place must really be into the old school ways. Geo took the offered bowl and sniffed it warily. He didn't recognize the scent but it smelled good and his stomach growled loudly. He tried one spoonful and discovered that the soup tasted as good as it smelled. After that he practically inhaled the rest.

"Slow down, youngling!" said Everett laughing. "It won't do you any good if you choke."

Geo grinned sheepishly and slowed down. "Guess I was hungrier than I thought." He finished eating and handed the bowl back to the priest who was offering a similar bowl to Chelsea. After the simple act of eating his head felt clearer and the strangeness of his situation dawned on him more as he took in his surroundings. The room had a rustic look with beams racing across the ceiling. A fireplace on the far wall was made up of stacked stones. All the furniture in the room had the uneven look of being hand-made. No modern convenience was insight. Did he really hear chickens outside somewhere? A window was open and he went to it. Oddly, the window held no glass in it. Outside he saw the chickens he heard wandering freely on a dirt road. The buildings were like the ones he'd seen in movies set in the middle ages. Gone was anything modern – no paved roads, no concrete sidewalks, and no electric lights. He might as well have stepped back in time.

"Hey, uh, Everett, do my parents know I'm here?"

"Your parents? Unless you told them where you would be I highly doubt that. You were alone when I found you except for your furry protector there. She's the one that got me and led me to you."

"But that's not right. I was with some friends. There should have been others with me. In fact, I don't remember Chelsea being with her, either."

"No, youngling, it was just you two. I'll take you to where I found you if you like. I did look around but found no clues as to who you even were when I happened upon you."

"Seriously?"

Everett blinked for and gave Geo an odd look for his word choice but nodded. "Yes, I'm serious."

"Huh. That's weird. Yeah, I'd like to see where you found me."

Everett led Geo out of the room that turned out to belong to an old building, a small church to be exact. The priest told Geo how the village was small but took pride in its church so even though it was modest the villagers themselves kept it in good care. They hadn't gone far when they reached the garden that grew behind the church. Here is where Everett grew what he could for himself and shared what he couldn't eat with others. Just beyond the garden is where Everett found Geo.

"I had come out to tend to my vegetables when this black friend of yours trotted into my yard and began barking at me. When I got up she ran away but kept coming back so I decided to follow her. She led me to the path just beyond the garden where I found you," he explained. "I'm not a tracker but I did not even notice footprints near you and that is not a commonly used path."

Geo walked over to the spot that Everett had indicated. He had no idea what he was looking for but he still had to see for himself. As he reached the spot he turned back to look at the church. Evening had descended upon them but the moon was full so light was plentiful. The church that Geo had thought was perhaps a set to a movie was in fact a real church. The few people that still remained in the streets beyond the garden's low fence all were dressed in the type of clothing he saw at a renaissance fair. No cars, no street lamps, no power lines.

"Chels, we're not in Kansas anymore," he murmured to himself. The priest raised a questioning eyebrow at the boy but respectively did not say anything. He knew the boy had answers to find and needed to do so without his help for the moment.

The light in the garden grew and took on a pinkish cast. At first Geo thought it was the moon until the light began to change hue. He turned towards the source and saw what appeared to be a glowing mist that descended from the sky to him. As it approached it took on the form of a woman. Her hair and long gown seemed to flow in the wind even though the air around them was still.

"Who are you supposed to be," blurted Geo, "Glenda the Good?" Chelsea wagged her tail and her tongue lolled out of her mouth in a doggy-smile as if she understood the joke. She then barked twice at the figure as Geo petted her on the head to settle her down.

The slightly glowing woman actually appeared to be taken aback a moment before recovering.

"No, child. I am Aurora, Goddess of those who have lost their way."

"Well, that convenient," said Geo dryly. "Since I have no idea where I am."

"You, my dear, have landed in the land of Tionar."

"Okay, great. But how did I get here? Oh, and more importantly, how do I get home?"

"As to how you got here I have no answer. I cannot help you with getting you home, either. In the past I possessed the power to do so but the Memory Storms has robbed me of such power."

"The Memory Storms?" Geo asked flatly.

"Yes, storms that descends upon us and wipes the memories of those it touches. Sometimes only a little and sometimes completely. It has wreaked havoc among the kingdom. In a sense, almost everyone is lost now without all their memories. I am spread so thin I hardly have any power left."

"Then why did you even bother showing yourself to me if you can't help me?"

The goddess looked as if she was ready to lose her temper with Geo. "I am beginning to wonder the same thing. Most people show gratitude when I come to them. I can in fact help you, but I need you to help me first. However, if you are content with your situation I will leave you to it."

"No, no, no. I'm not content with it as you put it. But how I can help you? I'm just a kid?"

"You are already lost, more so than any of the people in the kingdom. What more can the Memory Storms take from you? You are immune to it. If you come across others who are lost then bring them with you to Afleren. It is the only kingdom left that has the power to defeat the storms. Everyone that has any magic is going to gather there. It is where we will make our stand."

"O-kay," Geo said slowly, " I guess I can do that."

"For now I can tell you that your new priest friend will be your tie, your guide if you will, to this world."

Geo was relieved to hear that. It suddenly felt like he was in some weird movie but at least he would be with someone he at least knew a little. This was strange enough; he didn't want to deal with all strangers.

"Um, well, if this is the only chance I have of going home I guess I have no other choice but to do it."

"Thank you, Geo. I shall be eternally grateful." With that the woman faded into mist and blew away in the wind.

"Wait!" Geo called after her. "Just what is it that I'm supposed to do?" But it was too late she was already gone.

Irritated, Geo kicked at the dirt. He had no idea what to do next and said so out loud.

"First we get some sleep, then we head off in the morning," said the priest matter of factly.

Geo looked at him in confusion. "To where? To Aflac?"

The priest just chuckled and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "To Afleren. Have faith, my son, the goddess will show us the way. Do not fret."

Geo wasn't fretting but he was beyond confused. He also realized that he was getting tired again. Bewildered, he let Everett show him back to the room he slept in before. He thought he would be too overwhelmed to sleep but with the familiar form of Chelsea curled up next to him he quickly fell into a dreamless sleep.

The sound of birds arguing outside the window woke Geo up. For a split second he thought it had all been a dream until he opened his eyes. Nope, he was still in the weirdo world. Damn! He got up and went in search of Everett. It didn't take Geo long to search the small church, yet, he never found the priest. He began to feel alarmed. Did Everett change his mind and leave?

"Ah! Good morning, young Geo!" Geo spun around to see the priest coming through the garden gate with a stringer of fish. "I meant to be back before you woke but the fish were biting well this morning. I hope you are hungry for breakfast."

Fish for breakfast? The mere thought of it made Geo green around the gills. "I'm, uh, I'm not much of a fish eater?"

"No? Well, that's too bad. More for me and the cat, then. Perhaps your furry protector will want some. Don't you worry; I have plenty of oats so I can make you oatmeal instead, yes?

Oatmeal was not Geo's favorite, either, but it is far better than fish. He knew Chelsea would eat anything given to her. She used to have to hunt for her food when she was a stray so she was happy to eat anything someone brought to her instead. "That sounds good, thank you."

In the meantime, Everett had the stringer of fish on a small table by the well and was cleaning them one by one. A small black cat with white markings on her chest and paws was watching him intently. Geo smiled at the cat's coloring that mirrored Chelsea's own. Chelsea resembled a taller Disney-type terrier while the cat looked like she is wearing a tuxedo. The two of them could have been stars in their own cartoon.

"So who's your little furry friend?"

"Hmm?" Everett glanced down at the cat. "Oh, that's the cat. We have a deal. She keeps the gophers out of my garden and I share my fish with her."

Chelsea whined at the cat and gently sniffed at her. When the cat didn't leave Chelsea licked the poor cat on the head before returning to her food. With one paw raised to swat at the dog if she got too rough the cat began washing her paw instead when the danger was over. Apparently both furry friends had decided to accept the other's presence.

"She's more than welcome to my share, too." The small cat looked at Geo and winked as if she understood him. "Doesn't she have a name?"

"No, not that I know of anyway. I do not own her – she comes and goes as she pleases. I do not feel it is my place to name her."

Geo nodded. "I would never have thought of it that way but that makes sense." Another thought dawned on Geo.

"If you are going with me on this journey, who is going to take care of the church?"

"Oh, Father Falan will. He has for many years. I've been in training to be his replacement when he retires but he enjoys what he is doing too much to do that just yet.

"Well, that's convenient," muttered Geo under his breath. He couldn't help but be suspicious over this entire journey thing, this world to be honest. Things were falling into place too well as if it was set-up. Unfortunately, he couldn't think of anything else to do but go along with it and see what happened. If he were lucky he really would be able to go home in the end. Until then, he might as well make an adventure out of it.

Chelsea looked up from her meal with one ear raised to him as if she could hear his thoughts. She licked his hand than his face before licking the taste out of the bowl. George had to laugh.

"Great, now I'm going to smell like fishy-oatmeal all-day."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Heaving a large sigh as she took off her headset, Julie stretched and contemplated her first official use of the DreamScape. She already knew that her nephew is quite bright but she hadn't taken into account his cynicism. It appeared that he was responding well but she had to be careful not to make things too easy otherwise she may lose his interest and thusly fail her mission. One thing she couldn't figure out is how the heck did the dog get into the Dreamscape. She wasn't programmed to be there. Had Geo sensed her presence and thought her into the world? He shouldn't be able to do that but then again there were still things she didn't know if they were possible or now.

Jeanette looked up from the screens she was using to monitor Geo's vitals. She nodded in approval. "Everything looks good so far. I'll go make my physical exam now."

Julie looked at the Doctor questioningly. Without needing her to ask the question, Jeanette answered for her.

"Your machines are great but when you write up your reports you will need some physical evidence to back them up. Not everyone will trust the mechanical so I'm going to do physical exams as well to confirm the reports."

"Um, Jean, can you do me a favor?"

"Check on the dog, too?"

"Yes, please. I doubt she had any part of being in there but…well, just in case."

"I understand, besides, I love that dog."

Julie watched the curly haired doctor leave the room and was gratified to have her on board. She was right; Julie had been relying on the machines for all her reports. Thinking of the tedious task, she had work to do. Carefully, she noted how Geo had responding noting that he was doing well. So far he had been started on his quest and introduced to a few characters. The characters that she created and ran had personality but all appearances were from Geo's mind. Kind of like how when one reads a book and mentally pictures the characters as they see fit. Julie couldn't help but smile and giggle to herself when she recollected the appearance of the priest. The tall, shaggy-haired man held a strong resemblance to her brother, and Geo's uncle. It did not really surprise her since Geo looked up to his Uncle Joe. Now she wondered whom the other characters were going to look like.

She pressed the print button and listened for the whir of the printer. Soon lists containing Geo's physical state, the conversations, and whatever else could be measured were pouring out of the printer and making neat piles on the printer tray. In hind sight it may have been beneficial to invest in one of the industrial printers that did collated, stapled, and practically wrote the reports and bind them for you. Or she could just get a magic genie. While the printer continued to spew more papers out, Julie pulled out a brand new binder and a three-hole punch. She took the finished papers and began the tedious task of hole punching and organizing the papers in the binder. With color-coded dividers she organized the various lists. When she and the printer were finally done she took the now-full binder and her laptop into her kitchen to write out her reports based on her own observations and the information from the lists. But first she needed to brew some good coffee.

Her husband looked her way as she entered the room with her encumbered arms and smiled knowingly.

"Need coffee?"

"Yes! More than you know." Her husband, John, chuckled at the weariness in Julie's tone. "The session went well, though. I have to write my reports while it's fresh in my mind."

"I'll start your coffee for you, Babe. You just do what you need to do. I'm also making a roast for tonight." Julie couldn't help but think about how lucky she is that her husband is so domestic. If it wasn't for him they were be eating dinners out of paper bags and cardboard boxes since she neither had the knowledge nor time to good. Except for coffee. She made excellent coffee. Even so she gave her husband a grateful hug and a kiss before settling into work. As important as coffee felt to her at the moment the report is by far a priority to the sweet, dark, magic brew.

"What are you up to today?" she asked.

"I have a few interviews and quotes to make today. Then do some more price shopping for granite for that big kitchen project." John made his living as an independent contractor. He along with a few friends of his started up their own small business years ago. Today, after business spreading through word of mouth and rave reviews from clients their business is booming. In fact, that is how they met. Julie had recently purchased the house they are living in and wanted to make a few changes. George and Dorothy had hired John to build a porch for them and suggested him. Julie went to a location that John was working at to talk to him in person instead of just over the phone. John was sweaty and dirty from building a new addition to a house (a neighbor of Julie's). Even though his appearance was less than stellar Julie was smitten with him from the beginning. John was, and still is, a far cry from many doctors and scientist she has worked with. He did not have that self-important air that some intellectuals get although he was extremely intelligent. He knew how to work with his hands and didn't mind getting dirty. He was clearly a man's man.

"Sounds busy and I know you'll do well with the interviews – everyone likes you. Are you taking your lunch today?

"Nope, meeting the guys for lunch. Hooley's has their all you can eat fish and chips deal and Craig wants to see if he can beat his old record. I'm bringing the Tums just in case. But I made you some tuna and there is sourdough in the breadbox. I even have kettle chips in the cupboard if you want to be bad or grapes in the fridge if you feel like being good."

"Well, look who's become a mind reader all of a sudden," said Julie jokingly. "Besides, what if I want to be both good and bad? Hmm?"

"I can't answer that one without getting in trouble. But if you still feel like being bad I'll come home early." He said while waggling his eyebrows.

Julie laughed at her husband again. "Get out of here, Bear. I have work to do and you are being a distraction."

John gathered his laptop case that held his laptop for the interviews and clipboards w/pads of paper and shuffled out the door as if he was a real bear. Julie giggled at him and took a few sips of her now-ready magic brew before turning back to her work.

"Okay – time to be the serious professional." She said to herself. "This project being so personal to her also meant that she had no room for error. Her personal attachment to it will be criticized enough as it is without the possibility of any mistakes. No, she had to document everything and then share her results with a few peers to get their point of view. The differing viewpoints should, she hoped, keep the results of the project from being too one-sided.

In Geo's room, Jeanette was writing up her notes on her examination of her patient. She had taken a quick look at the dog although she was no vet but she did lead the dog out to relieve herself. Now Chelsea was back on the bed protecting her boy. The room was silent except for the hum of the monitoring devices and the constant tick-tocking of a grandfather clock in the hallway just outside the door. In all honesty, she was on the fence about whether this project would help Geo or not but had to admit It was worth a try. So far there did not seem to be any adverse reactions and she fervently prays that it stays that way. Although she believed in God, she also believed that God created mankind with the ability to solve things for themselves by use of their intelligence. Perhaps this was another tool that humankind was meant to discover. After finishing her reports she prayed silently for guidance to help them find the best way to help Geo. She knew that God did not always answer but if he chose to it was in subtle signs. On an impulse she got up from the desk leaving her notepad behind. She walked over to the boy and noticed how different he looked. The once active teen had been tanned by the same sun that bleached his hair. Now his skin had the bleached out – pale look from being out of the sun for so long. In contrast, his hair was darker now. Jeannette leaned over the boy to whisper near his ear.

"Your parents miss you and love you very much, Geo. They are waiting for you to find your way back to them." The Doctor straightened self-consciously, gathered her things and left the room after once again saying a silent prayer for her charge."

Chelsea looked up at the Doctor without moving her head from Geo's chest and thumped her tail at the doctor.

In another home in a nearby town Dorothy paced biting at her nails nervously. She kept glancing at the clock on the wall, a grandmother clock that was the match to Julie's grandfather clock. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and checked it again as she had many times in the past few hours. A strong pair of hands reached over her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"She will call us when she has some news," George murmured to his wife in attempts to comfort her. He was not sure how confident he sounded since he was just as anxious as his wife but he felt that only one of them could fall apart at a time. Dorothy leaned her back into George's chest and accepted his warmth if not his comfort.

"I know, George. The waiting is killing, me though. I just wish she had let us stay there. Then we could know what is going on and when."

"Yes, but we would have been in the way. You know that. If the nurse didn't tuck him in to your satisfaction you would be retucking him in. The doctors would be trying to get his vitals and you would be in there dusting and straightening the room so that it was perfect for when he wakes up."

A weak chuckle escaped the worried mother. "That is true. I'd be over-mothering him."

"Just as I would be double-checking every bit of information the doctors and scientists get even though I wouldn't be able to understand it. We are just too over-protective to stay out of the way. But we get to go see him later today during our visiting hours."

"Our visiting hours," spat Dorothy in disdain. "It sounds like he is in prison."

"Or in a hospital. We agreed to this, Dotty." George turned his wife around to face him. He lifted her chin with his right hand and looked her in her teary eyes. "Don't you go losing your trust in your sister, yet." As if on cue the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow began playing from the phone that Dorothy still clutched in her hand.

With nervous hands Dorothy almost dropped the phone in attempts to answer it but she did manage to his the answer button.

"Hello, Julie? Any good news?" she asked breathlessly. At the imploring gaze of her husband she added, "wait, wait. Let me put you on speaker for George, too. Alright, go ahead."

"Hello, George. Dorothy. I do have good news but not the news you are hoping for. He's not awake but he is responding well. We did our first session this morning and everything went beautifully. I'll show you the reports when you come by if you like. You can even come earlier, if you like. I don't want to try again today – maybe hearing your voices after the Dreamscape will be what he needs." The voice on the other end of the phone finally took a pause and waited for an answer.

Dorothy had to swallow a few times to regain her voice. After hearing about her son she was so overcome by emotion that sobs had tightened her throat. George, on the other hand, sat down in sheer relief to hear that everything was going well and looked a bit stunned as if he had been hit over the head.

"Hello? You can hear, me, right? I said you could come over early." Came Julie's voice from the phone again.

"Yes! Yes, we'll be there!" stammered Dorothy after she regained her voice.

"Okay, sis, see you later, then."

"Thank you, sissy, see you later." Dorothy hung up the phone and sat in her husbands lap. She just wrapped her arms around his neck and the two of them cried in relief of the anxiety they had both been holding. Geo's fight wasn't over, yet, but he passed first hurdle.

Julie made one more phone call before taking a well-deserved break. She called Joe to ask that he come and visit Geo and soon. Since Geo subconsciously used his uncle's image as his mentor than perhaps hearing his uncle's image as his mentor than perhaps hearing his uncle's voice would help draw Geo back to them. Luckily, Joe was more than happy to come and visit his favorite nephew.

"It's about time you called me."

"I know. I'm sorry but I'm calling you now. Can you come by and visit?

"Yup, was just waiting to get an o.k. from you. I'm on my way."

Julie hit the end button on the handset. She really should have kept Joe more in the loop. After all, he treats Geo as if he was his own son. That is a mistake she won't be making again.

It was decided that the family would meet in Geo's room to talk. That way even if they weren't talking to him Geo could still potentially hear their voices. Since the room is a renovated granny flat there was ample room for the adults to convene. Geo's bed and monitoring devices were on one side of the room. The adjacent part of the room where the kitchenette used to be I s now a sitting area with a small couch, a couple of arm chairs and nearest to the bed stood a desk. The adults had all gathered in the room. Julie had made herself comfortable on the couch giving the others an opportunity to visit with Geo. George had pulled on of the armchairs up beside Geo's bed for Dorothy to sit in. For himself he pulled up the office chair and positioned himself on the opposite side of the bed from his wife. Joe waited for the parents to choose their positions before pulling the remaining armchair up to the foot of the bed. The three adults by the bed spoke to Geo as if he was awake and had just been gone on a trip. They filled him in on many details of daily life since the last time they saw him. From her vantage point of the couch, Julie studied them all together hoping to see some sign from Geo that they were getting through to him and watching for little details that she could use in the Dreamscape. After awhile Julie left as planned for another session with the Dreamscape. This time she wanted to have the people that know Geo best watching him for any signs of reactions.

Geo found Everett outside the garden gate checking the fitting of the tack on a pair of horses. He felt immediate relief when Geo realized they would not have to walk the entire way. Although he had ridden his Aunt's horse before he had only ridden for a couple of hours at a time at the most. He is grateful that his Aunt taught him how to ride otherwise he doubted he would have had the courage to try riding now.

These horses that Everett had acquired are both nondescript brown horses with unkempt mane and tails. Gathering from the look of them the horses were probably used as often as farm horses as they are as riding horses. As he got closer Everett confirmed his guess.

"One of the farmers just invested in a couple of younger mares so was willing to sell me his geldings. These lads aren't young but they are still sturdy, strong, and healthy." Chelsea was inspecting the horses with her nose. A couple of times she was kicked at but she deftly dodged out of the way. When satisfied she returned to Geo's side.

"So which one do I get to ride?"

"Are you any good?"

"I'm no expert but I'm not a beginner either. My aunt says I have a 'sticky seat' and 'soft hands' and she lets me ride her own horse so she's confident in me."

"What is that horse like?"

"She's very calm and easy to ride. But she's a high-quality Friesian, which means she's worth a lot of money. The fact that my aunt trusts me with her means she trusts my abilities."

"Okay, then, you can take Bo here. He is a bit of a prankster and I would prefer to have Dusty who is more easy-going. This is supposed to be your adventure, not mine."

Geo took the reins of the horse Everett called Bo. Now that he was up closer he noticed that Bo is a darker shade of brown.

"Are we ready to go?"

"Almost." The priest rummaged in a saddlebag and took out a bundle of clothing. "The farmer's son outgrew these and didn't think his daughters would want them." He tossed the bundle of clothes to Geo who caught them easily. The clothing turned out to be a plain tan-colored shirt and some pants that anyone would be wearing if they were in a renaissance fair. To top it off he had a dark leather vest and a belt. All of the items were worn but still in good condition.

"Go ahead and change, lad, them we'll be on our way. We'll have to get you a pair of boots when we get to a town big enough to have a cobbler."

Geo trotted back into the church and quickly donned the new (to him) clothing. When he reached for his sneakers to put back on he couldn't find them. In their place stood his cowboy boots that he always wore when riding. He could have sworn he had his sneakers but everything else about all this had been so screwy that he decided to just shrug it off and go with it. He did wish that he had a mirror to see himself dressed as one of the locals; however, he'd been in the room before and didn't remember seeing one. As he turned around he was startled to see his own reflection. On the wall hung a full –length mirror. Now, Geo knew that things weren't what they should be but this was getting weirder and weirder. He did have to admit, however, that he looked pretty good as if he was staring in his own movie. It began to dawn on him that things that he wanted to change had been changing without him actively thinking about it. Suddenly, he was worried about what the horses would be like when he rejoined Everett and if they were still even horses. He'd been watching a lot of movies about dragons lately. He turned to the door and stopped with his hand on the latch. He closed his eyes and chanted fervently.

"Still be horses, still be horses, please still be horses." After taking a deep breath to bolster his courage he opened the door and peeked through. Thankfully, a pair of horses still stood by Everett. As cool as dragons seemed in books and movies Geo was not ready to meet one in real life or whatever this is. Yet, as Geo approached the horses it was apparent that they hadn't stayed the same. Although Everett's horses was still the brown shaggy, beast, Geo's horse had changed to a tall regal-looking horse with long flowing mane and tail. It's coat had changed to an inky black – in fact it looked just like his Aunt's Friesian horse which was the type that the nights in history used to ride.

"You look good, lad. Ready to go?"

"Um, yeah, I think so. Ready as I'm going to be at least."

"Nervous?" When Geo just nodded the priest smiled at him. "It's okay, lad. Let's get going." They both mounted the horses and started off on their journey with Chelsea following them. Geo had no idea what he would see next but after seeing how things could change quickly he wasn't thinking this was as fun as he first thought.

Later that day muscles that Geo never knew he had were screaming at him in protest. He ruefully decided that the term "saddle sore" was really a painful understatement. When Everett suggested they set up camp early Geo gratefully agreed.

"You look worse than the dog, lad, and you were trotting to keep up the entire time," laughed the priest. Chelsea proudly wagged her tail and trotted into the cool water of the nearby stream. She walked right into the middle of it before drinking her fill. "She has the right idea. Her lad, I'll take care of the horses tonight. You go and fetch us some water," said the older man while holding out a pair of waterskins.

With painful limps Geo took the waterskins from the priest and somehow made his way to the stream. He stopped to scratch Chelsea before sinking the skins in the water. He squeezed each one until the air was out and was replaced by water. Even so the process was slow going and gave Geo ample opportunity to look around. That's when he realized how many little bugs, fish, and who-knows-what were swimming around in the stream. They were supposed to drink this stuff? He shuddered at the thought. Although he was in cub scouts growing up and learned how to "rough it" the troop always brought things from home such as packaged foods and bottled water. This truly is going to be an adventure. With a sigh Geo returned to Everett who had tended to the horses and had them tied nearby.

"Here's the water. What do you need help with next?" Although he was tired and in pain Geo knew that he had to pull his share and wasn't going to tale advantage of Everett's forgiving nature.

"Hmm. You can clear out an area for a fire and put a ring of rocks around it." Geo nodded tiredly and did as was suggested. Before he was done he added kindling and branches so all they needed to do was start the fire.

Everett looked up from mixing ingredients from packets into a small pot. "Good job, my boy! Just in time, too. All we need to do now is cook our little stew here." After using some flint from the saddlebags, Everett got the fire dancing and the flames were reaching towards the pot as if trying to get it to join them. Using the long stick that Geo had angled over the fire, Everett hung the pot from it to let the stew cook. The flames eagerly reached for the pot but never could get it to join them.

As they waited for the stew to cook the campers set out their bedrolls. Geo stretched out on his while Everett took out some bread and cheese to go with dinner. He cut off pieces of both and put the majority of it back in the packs. Next thing Geo knew the priest was waking him up to let him know it was time to eat. They ate in silence, Geo too tired to eat and Everett just simply enjoying the peace. Therefore, when another traveler approached from the road both had heard the stranger approach the camp.

"Ho there! Room for one more?" The stranger was very tall, Geo guessed perhaps 6ft 3 with long dark blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail. His face seemed friendly enough except his eyes that were busy searching them warily.

"Of course, brother," replied Everett. "Come join us. We don't have much but we can share a little stew with you and a spot by our fire."

Chelsea's hackles raised up as the man drew near. Obviously she wasn't going to be as trusting as the priest and Geo was grateful for that. At least someone with him had some common sense. Although in a defensive mood Chelsea did not try to chase off the man and let him approach the camp. Geo noticed that the man dressed far different from Everett. He wore a belted leather vest and leather breeches and tall boots. In addition daggers hung from his belt, as did a sword at his side. On his back the man carried a pack and what appeared to be a bow. Although Everett called him brother this man was certainly no priest.

When the man reached the fire he put his pack down.

"My thanks to both of you. My name is Steel."

"I'm Everett, this is my nephew Geo and Chelsea the dog. Here, have some stew while it's still hot." The priest handed a bowl to the newcomer as Geo looked at them strangely. Nephew?

"Your name is Steal?" Geo asked. "Are you a thief?"

The tall man nearly choked on his stew when he tried to laugh and eat at the same time. When he was able to speak again he clarified. "No, no, no. Steel as in the metal. It's a nickname I earned a long time ago."

"Must be from all your weapons. So are you a mercenary or perhaps in the army," Everett asked conversationally. That's when Geo realized what Everett was doing. The priest acted open, innocent, and friendly to put the other man off guard in hopes of learning about him. It was an interesting method, certainly a risky one if Steel the warrior was really Steal the thief.

The tall man ducked his head sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. "That's the thing. I don't know. Somehow The Forgetting has gotten to me and I can't remember my past."

Everett shook his head sympathetically. "How awful for you, brother."

"So do you even remember how to use those weapons you carry, then?" blurted out Geo. "And how do you know what your nickname is if you can't remember your past?"

The priest gave the boy a reproachful look but the warrior just laughed.

"Good for you boy! Good questions. Some things I remember, most I don't. I can remember things that I do but I can't remember any specific memories. I don't even know my true name. A friend mine told me that my nickname is Steel but unfortunately she didn't know much more."

"Some friend," Geo said with sarcasm as Chelsea snorted.

"Well, um," stammered Steel in embarrassment, "the thing is she was someone I only visited when I was in town…if you catch my meaning." With that the warrior began eating again as if it took all his effort and attention.

"Okay, then. So where are you journeying to, Steel?" Interjected Everett in an obvious attempt to change the subject.

"I'm heading for Alferen. A pink lady told me to go there. Something about a big battle. I can't remember the details but that's where I'm heading."

Everett, Geo, and Chelsea exchanged looks. It was obvious to them that Steel hadn't found their little group by accident.

"We are heading the same way," responded the priest and then he quickly told their little story to the warrior. "So you see, our meeting was destined."

Steel nodded wisely. "It's not safe for you three to be traveling alone. I'll protect you from bandits and beasts."

After some small talk everyone was yawning and they settled in for the night. As Chelsea curled up next to him Geo noticed that her hackles were still slightly raised. Something about the man she didn't which meant that Geo needed to be wary of him as well.

For being out in the middle of nowhere away from all modern civilization it was amazingly noisy in the forest at night. At least, it is to Geo. Just how many nocturnal animals could there be? Everyone one of them seemed to be near their campsite crashing through the bushes, jumping in the branches, and chattering to each other. The worst sounds came from the two slumbering men who sounded like injured bears in death- throws. The snoring was awful! Even Chelsea was wide-awake. At some point sleep finally pulled Geo into her arms and held him close while he slept. Sooner than he was ready for she lost her grip and Geo opened his eyes to a sky warm with rising rays of the sun. Steel still slept but Everett was gone. This time Geo knew just where to look.

Sure enough, Geo and Chelsea found the priest trying to catch some fish in the stream. "Anything, yet?" Asked Geo.

"No, not this morning. Nothing in here is big enough to eat, anyway. I still like to fish, though, it calms me and gives me time to think."

Geo sat on the bank next to the priest. "That's what my Uncle used to tell me, too. To be honest, I'm glad there's no fish for breakfast. Even this hungry I'm not ready to eat fish, yet."

The priest laughed at Geo's honesty. "Well, it's a good thing I packed plenty of oatmeal, then, isn't it." Geo pretended to gag and Everett laughed again. Suddenly Chelsea shot off into the underbrush. After a brief rustling in the bushes she emerged caring a dead rabbit. "Ah! Looks like we'll be having rabbit instead."

Chelsea proudly trotted up to Geo and dropped her prize at his feet. "Thanks, Chels. You really didn't need to. Really." He petted her anyway. As gross as her present is the thought was a touching one…in a weird way.

As the trio approached the camp they came across Steel who was brandishing his sword at them.

"Who goes there?" demanded Steel.

"Are you kidding me?" asked Geo as everyone in his group shared looks of astonishment mingled with disbelief. Everett put his hand on Geo's arm as a silent signal for him to wait a moment. Chelsea's hackles were raised again and had stealthily put herself between Geo and Steel.

With his other hand held up towards the warrior Everett spoke to him in a calming voice. "Easy there, brother. I'm Father Everett; this is my nephew Geo, and Chelsea the dog. We met last night when you crossed out path traveling. We shared our dinner and fire with you last night. Remember?"

The tall man first wore a look of confusion replaced by frustration as Everett's words triggered his lost memory. "Bloody hell it happened again," he swore while lowering his sword. "Forgive me, I remember now. I'm supposed to protect you on our way to Alferen.

"If you don't kill us first," scoffed Geo. Chelsea dropped her rabbit and inspected Steel with her keen nose. With a final snort she lowered her hackles, wagged her tail, and reclaimed her rabbit.

"That is a valid point, son. Your dog seems to trust me now. Let me show you that you can trust me, too. I'll cook up this rabbit for you."

Geo raised a questioning eyebrow to the priest. "What do you think?"

The priest shrugged. "It has always been my philosophy to think the best of people and to encourage opportunities to do good."

The boy rubbed at his temples to ease the headache that had begun to form. If only Chelsea could talk then she could tell him what was going on. He shook his head at his foolishness. "Might as well give him another chance. If he wanted to kill us he could have done it in our sleep."

Steel beamed with obvious relief. "Thank you! I'll get breakfast started." As the warrior set to work making their breakfast Geo whispered to no one in particular. "Let's just hope he remembers how to cook."

Geo could have sworn he heard Chelsea laugh.

Julie paced in her kitchen sipping her fresh cup of coffee. That is where Jeanette found her after the latest Dreamscape session. "Pour me some please."

In answer Julie reached for another much and filled it with the magical dark brew. She added some creamer and the yellow packet of sugar-substitute just as her colleague liked it. The taller woman took the proffered cup with a grateful smile. "So what is going through that brain of yours?"

Julie shook her head and took another swallow of the fortifying liquid before answering. "I don't understand it. Everything has been going as planned only now they are somehow changing. It's like he is changing he scene without realizing it. I don't know how he's doing it, though."

"Is it such a bad thing for him to be changing things?"

"Yes and no. It's good that he can become more involved but if I can't find out how he's doing it I'm afraid I'll lose all control of the quest. If I lose control than I can't help him and he'll be lost to us for good."

"Well, there is no point getting stressed out over it. You don't know for sure, yet, if you will lose control. Let's finish our coffee and go over the session again. Maybe we missed something."

Julie continued to pace but her footsteps had slowed. "Your right. I'm too close to this and you are, too, now. We need to bring in someone who can stay detached and maybe see things we are missing."

"Let's talk it out – what exactly had he changed?"

"Um, first was…the boots and then the horse."

"Those are small things. He controls what the characters look like – can he control scenery, too?"

"Yes, maybe. But then the big thing – his dog. I didn't write her in the program but she's been in the Dreamscape from the beginning. There are just too many unexpected things happening for my comfort."

"Sweetheart, anything that you can't control is too much for your comfort."

The dog is what bothered Julie the most. Like she had told Jeanette, Chelsea was never programmed into the Dreamscape so her presence there is a mystery. That combined with the real dog refusing to leave Geo's side except to relieve herself was a rather bizarre coincidence.

"It almost seems like Chelsea found a way in the Dreamscape on her own," Jeanette said, echoing Julie's thoughts.

Julie reached out and playfully hit her friend on her arm. "Get out of my head, girl! That dog is kinda creepy-smart. I can't explain how but I wouldn't be surprised if she had put herself in there."

"In all seriousness I think we should monitor the dog during DS. I've reviewed the tapes of the room during the other sessions and she is asleep during each one."

"Good point. We'll definitely have to set that up by next time."

"I'll make a call to a vet that I know. He can tell us what we need and maybe lend us the equipment until we can buy our own."  
>Julie shook her head and laughed ruefully. "You know, it's only one more thing to monitor but I'm starting to feel as if it's getting rather crowded in that room."<p> 


End file.
